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Black Tuesday
The stock market crash on October 29, 1929, marking the beginning of the Great Depression. It resulted in widespread panic selling, leading to a significant decline in stock prices and economic turmoil.
Buying on Margin
A financial strategy where investors borrow money from their brokers to purchase stocks, using the purchased stocks as collateral. While it can amplify gains, it also increases the risk of losses, especially during market downturns. It was one of the causes of the Great Depression.
Dust Bowl
A severe environmental disaster during the 1930s in the Great Plains region of the United States. It was characterized by drought, wind erosion, and dust storms that devastated agricultural lands and forced many farmers to migrate in search of better living conditions.
Okies
Refers to migrants, primarily from the Midwest, but also from other states affected by the Dust Bowl, who moved to California in search of work and better living conditions during the Great Depression.
Herbert Hoover
The 31st President of the United States, who served from 1929 to 1933. He faced the challenges of the Great Depression during his presidency and implemented various policies to address the economic crisis, although his efforts were largely unsuccessful due to their laissez faire methods.
Hawley-Smoot Tariff
Legislation passed in 1930 that raised taxes on thousands of imported goods, aiming to protect American industries and farmers. However, it led to retaliation from other countries and exacerbated the effects of the Great Depression by reducing international trade.
Hoovervilles
Shantytowns that emerged during the Great Depression, consisting of makeshift shelters built by homeless people who had lost their jobs and homes. They were named after the president and symbolized the failure of government policies to alleviate poverty and unemployment.
Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC)
A federal agency established in 1932 under President Hoover to provide financial support to banks, industries, and state and local governments during the Great Depression. It aimed to stabilize the economy and promote recovery by providing loans and assistance to struggling businesses.
Bonus Army
A group of World War I veterans who marched on Washington, D.C. in 1932 to demand immediate payment of a bonus promised to them for their wartime service. The protest highlighted the plight of unemployed veterans during the Great Depression and ended in a violent confrontation with police and the military.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
The 32nd President of the United States, who served from 1933 to 1945. He implemented the New Deal to combat the Great Depression and led the country through most of World War II.
New Deal
A series of programs, reforms, and relief measures implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to address the economic challenges of the Great Depression. It aimed to provide relief for the unemployed and poor, recovery of the economy, and reform of the financial system.
Fireside Chats
A series of radio broadcasts delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the American people during the Great Depression and World War II. They were informal and reassuring, aimed at explaining his policies and boosting public morale.
Emergency Banking Act
Legislation passed in 1933 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. It aimed to stabilize the banking system during the Great Depression by declaring a bank holiday, closing banks that couldn’t be saved, and reorganizing and reopening healthy banks.
21st Amendment
The constitutional amendment ratified in 1933 that repealed the 18th Amendment, which had prohibited the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. Its repeal ended Prohibition in the United States.
Agricultural Adjustment Act (AAA)
New Deal legislation enacted in 1933 to address the agricultural crisis during the Great Depression. It aimed to boost farm prices by reducing surpluses and increasing demand through government subsidies and production controls.
National Recovery Act (NRA)
New Deal legislation passed in 1933 to stimulate industrial recovery and combat unemployment during the Great Depression. It established the an to regulate industry and set codes of fair competition. It encouraged companies to participate in keeping people employed, prices down, and other practices. Many companies were proud to be part of this act, thinking of it like a patriotic duty.
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
A federal agency created in 1933 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. It aimed to develop the resources of an impoverished southern region by building dams, generating electricity, controlling floods, and promoting economic development.
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
An independent federal agency established in 1933 as part of the New Deal. It insures deposits in banks and thrift institutions, ensuring the safety of depositors' funds up to $2500 and promoting stability in the banking system.
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
A federal agency established in 1934 to regulate the stocks and bonds industry and protect investors in the United States. It enforces securities laws, oversees stock exchanges, and regulates securities professionals and firms.
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC)
A New Deal program established in 1933 to provide employment for young men during the Great Depression. It was military-like and focused on conservation and natural resource management through various projects in rural areas.
Townsend Plan
A proposal for old-age pensions put forward by a California doctor during the Great Depression. It called for the government to provide monthly payments to retired individuals to stimulate spending and alleviate poverty. This was later implemented through Social Security.
Huey Long
A charismatic and controversial political figure during the Great Depression, who served as governor of Louisiana and later as a U.S. senator. He advocated for populist policies and wealth redistribution through his "Share Our Wealth" program, which would heavily tax the wealthy and redistribute their wealth.
100 Days
Refers to the first few months of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration, during which he implemented numerous New Deal programs and reforms to address the economic crisis of the Great Depression.
National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act)
New Deal legislation enacted in 1935 to protect the rights of workers to organize into labor unions and bargain collectively with their employers. It established a government agency to enforce labor laws and adjudicate labor disputes.
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)
A federation of labor unions established in 1935 as a result of a split from the American Federation of Labor (AFL). It aimed to organize industrial workers regardless of their craft or skill level, such as ALL workers within the railroad industry or all workers within shipbuilding, etc.
Social Security Act
Landmark New Deal legislation passed in 1935 to provide economic security and assistance to retirees, the unemployed, and the disabled. It established a system which provides pensions and other benefits to eligible individuals.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA)
A New Deal agency established in 1935 to provide employment for millions of Americans during the Great Depression. It funded public works projects, including the construction of roads, bridges, and public buildings, as well as arts and cultural programs.
Court Packing Bill
A proposed plan by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937 to expand the membership of the Supreme Court to gain favorable rulings on New Deal legislation. He justified it by stating it would add one justice for every elderly justice. It was met with significant opposition and was ultimately unsuccessful.
Recession of 1937
A sharp economic downturn that occurred several years into the Great Depression. It was characterized by a decline in industrial production, a rise in unemployment, and a contraction of the economy. This was after FDR and Congress tried cutting spending and avoiding deficit spending, thus putting less money into the economy.
Fair Labor Standards Act
New Deal legislation passed in 1938 to establish minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor standards in the United States. It aimed to protect workers from exploitation and improve working conditions.
The Washington Conference
A diplomatic conference held in 1921-1922 in the US, involving major powers to discuss naval disarmament and Pacific security. It resulted in several treaties aimed at preventing an arms race and reducing tensions in the Pacific.
Kellogg-Briand Pact
Also known as the Pact of Paris, it was a multilateral treaty signed in 1928 by numerous countries, including the United States, outlawing war as a means of resolving disputes. It aimed to promote peace and prevent future conflicts, although it ultimately proved ineffective in preventing World War II.
Dawes Plan
An international agreement implemented in 1924 to address the issue of German reparations payments following World War I. It restructured Germany's debt, provided loans, and facilitated economic recovery in Europe, but its long-term impact was limited as debt just continually shifted from one country to another.
Stimson Doctrine
A foreign policy principle articulated by U.S. Secretary of State in 1932, stating that the United States would not recognize territorial changes resulting from aggressive actions or violations of international law. It was applied, for example, in response to Japan's invasion of Manchuria.
The Good Neighbor Policy
A foreign policy initiative introduced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s, aimed at improving relations with Latin American countries. It emphasized non-intervention and mutual respect, signaling a departure from previous U.S. interventionist policies in the region.
Neutrality Acts
A series of laws passed by the United States Congress in the 1930s aimed at keeping the country out of foreign conflicts. They imposed restrictions on arms sales and loans to belligerent nations and prohibited American citizens from traveling on belligerent ships.
Quarantine Speech
A speech delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937, calling for international cooperation to close off aggressor nations that threatened world peace. It reflected growing concerns about rising militarism and aggression in Europe and Asia.
Munich Pact
An agreement signed in 1938 by Britain, France, Italy, and Germany, allowing Nazi Germany to annex the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in exchange for a promise of no further territorial expansion. It is often cited as an example of appeasement and failed diplomacy leading to World War II.
Lend-Lease Act
Legislation passed by the United States Congress in 1941, allowing the president to send military equipment and supplies to any country deemed vital to the defense of the United States on the condition it be returned after the war. It facilitated the provision of aid to Allied nations during World War II before the U.S. entry into the war.
Atlantic Charter
A joint declaration issued in 1941 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, outlining their vision for a post-war world based on principles of self-determination, democracy, and free trade. It served as a precursor to the United Nations and shaped the Allies' war aims. This was before the US entered the war.
Pearl Harbor
A surprise military attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy against a Pacific United States naval base on December 7, 1941. It resulted in significant damage to the American Pacific Fleet and led to the United States' entry into World War II.
Island Hopping
A military strategy employed by the Allies, particularly the United States, in the Pacific Theater of World War II. It involved capturing strategically important islands from the Japanese, bypassing heavily fortified islands deemed less critical, to advance toward Japan to be able to bomb the mainland.
Battle of Midway
A pivotal naval battle fought in June 1942 between the United States and Japan in the Pacific Ocean. It resulted in a decisive victory for the Allies, particularly the United States, and marked a turning point in the Pacific Theater of World War II.
Holocaust
The systematic persecution and genocide of approximately six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators during World War II. It also targeted other groups deemed undesirable by the Nazis, including Romani people, disabled individuals, and political dissidents.
War Production Board (WPB)
A United States government agency established during World War II to oversee the allocation of resources, production of war materiel, and coordination of industrial efforts to support the war effort.
Double V Campaign
A civil rights movement during World War II advocating for victory over fascism abroad and victory over racism at home. It sought to highlight the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom and democracy overseas while tolerating discrimination and segregation within the United States.
Zoot Suit Riots
A series of racially motivated riots that occurred in Los Angeles, California, in 1943. They involved clashes between American servicemen, predominantly white, and Mexican American youths, mainly wearing flamboyant clothing. The riots reflected tensions over race, culture, and wartime conditions.
Rosie The Riveter
A cultural icon representing the millions of American women who worked in factories and other industrial jobs during World War II, particularly in the production of war materiel. She symbolized women's contribution to the war effort and challenged traditional gender roles.
Baby Boom
A significant increase in birth rates in the United States and other Western countries following World War II, lasting from the mid-1940s to the early 1960s. It resulted from various factors, including returning servicemen starting families, economic prosperity, and social changes.
Executive Order 9066/Japanese Internment
An executive order issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, authorizing the relocation and incarceration of Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals living on the West Coast of the United States during World War II. It led to the forced relocation and incarceration of over 100,000 individuals, most of whom were American citizens.
Korematsu v. U.S.
A landmark United States Supreme Court case decided in 1944, upholding the constitutionality of Japanese American internment during World War II. The decision has been widely criticized as a violation of civil liberties and later prompted efforts to secure redress and reparations for affected individuals.
D-Day
The Allied invasion of Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, during World War II. It marked the beginning of the liberation of German-occupied Western Europe and is considered one of the largest amphibious military operations in history.
V-E Day (May 8, 1945)
Kamikaze
A Japanese tactic during World War II where pilots deliberately crashed their aircraft into enemy targets, typically ships, in suicide attacks. It was intended to inflict maximum damage and psychological impact on the enemy.
The Manhattan Project
A secret research and development project undertaken by the United States during World War II to develop the first atomic bombs. It culminated in the successful testing and deployment of atomic weapons against Japan in 1945.
Atomic Bomb
A powerful weapon that releases energy through nuclear fission or fusion reactions. Two of these, code-named "Little Boy" and "Fat Man," were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, leading to the end of World War II.
Hiroshima
The Japanese city targeted by the first atomic bomb dropped by the United States on August 6, 1945, during World War II. The bombing resulted in significant destruction and loss of life, with devastating long-term effects due to radiation exposure.
Nagasaki
The Japanese city targeted by the second atomic bomb dropped by the United States on August 9, 1945, during World War II, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. The bombing caused widespread devastation and added to the toll of civilian casualties and destruction.
V-J Day (August 15, 1945)
The date when Japan announced its surrender to the Allies, marking the end of World War II in the Pacific.
Harry S. Truman
The 33rd President of the United States, who succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt upon his death in April 1945 and served until 1953. he made the decision to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and played a key role in shaping post-war policies and international relations.